By the end of high school, students will be fully prepared to demonstrate their ability to plan and implement any number of personal fitness programs. They will also be able to demonstrate their competency in at least two lifetime activities while modeling responsible behavior associated with physical activity. These young adults should also be actively participating in physical activities that challenge them, encourage social interaction, and result in self-expression and personal enjoyment. (National Standards for Physical Education)
It is recognized that quality physical education programs help students develop physical competence, health-related fitness, positive attitudes about physical activity, and cognitive understanding. To adopt, practice, and maintain healthy and physically active lifestyles, students will make individual progress toward mastery of the following goals of the WPS Physical Education curriculum:
1. They develop competence in a variety of motor skills and movement patterns.
Learners develop the physical skills needed to enjoy participation in physical activities. Mastering movement fundamentals establishes a foundation to facilitate continued motor skill acquisition and gives students the capacity for successful and advanced levels of performance to further the likelihood of participation on a daily basis.
2. They apply knowledge of concepts, principles, strategies, and tactics related to movement and performance.
Learners use cognitive information to understand and enhance motor skill acquisition and performance. This involves the ability to use the mind to control or direct one’s performance. This includes the application of concepts from disciplines such as motor learning and development, sport psychology and sociobiology, and biomechanics and exercise physiology.
3. They demonstrate the knowledge and skills to maintain a health-enhancing level of physical activity and fitness.
Learners establish patterns of regular participation in meaningful physical activity. This goal connects what is done in the physical education class with the lives of students outside the classroom. Although participation within the physical education class is important, what the student does outside the physical education class is crucial to developing an active, healthy lifestyle that has the potential to help prevent a variety of problems among future generations of adults. Students make use of the skills and knowledge learned in physical education class as they engage in regular physical activity outside the physical education class. They demonstrate effective self-management skills that enable them to participate in physical activity on a regular basis.
4. They exhibit responsible personal and social behaviors that respect self and others.
Learners self-initiate behaviors that promote personal and group success in activity settings. These include safe practices, adherence to rules and procedures, etiquette, cooperation and teamwork, ethical behavior and positive social interaction. Key to this goal is developing respect for individual similarities and differences through positive interaction among participants in physical activity. Similarities and differences include characteristics of culture, ethnicity, motor performance, disabilities, physical characteristics (e.g., strength, size, and shape), gender, age, race and socioeconomic status.
5. They recognize the value of physical activity for health, enjoyment, challenge, self-expression, and/or social interaction.
Learners develop an awareness of the intrinsic values and benefits of participation in physical activity that provides personal meaning. Physical activity provides opportunities for self-expression and social interaction and can be enjoyable, challenging and fun. These benefits develop self-confidence and promote a positive self-image, thereby enticing people to continue participation in activity throughout the lifespan.